HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Allatoona Creek, June 4, 1864.

General A. J. SMITH,

Commanding DIVISION on MISSISSIPPI River, via Cairo:

Make up a command of from 6,000 to 10,000 men, including your DIVISION, out of the force that can be spared at Vicksburg and make, in connection with Admiral Farragut, a strong feint or demonstration on Mobile by way of Pascagoula. Even if you make a landing it will draw troops from Georgia, but I know there is little or nothing left at Mobile, and if you more rapidly you can take the city and hold it. Show this to General Canby, and General Slocum may take a copy and construe it into an order to make up your command to 10,000 men if possible. What is done should be done at once.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

COLD HARBOR, VA., June 5, 1864--7 p. m.

(Received 6th.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

The object of sending troops to Mobile now would not be so much to assist General Sherman against Johnston as to secure for him a base of supplies after his work is done. Mobile also is important to us and would be a great loss to the enemy. Let the 100-days' men, such of them as you have to spare, come on.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Leake's Plantation, June 5, 1864.

Colonel JOSEPH KARGE,

Commanding Second New Jersey Cavalry:

COLONEL: In pursuance of instructions from Brigadier General S. D. Sturgis, commanding expedition,* you will select 200 of the best mounted portion of your command, with three days' rations, and with the detachments of the Seventh Illinois and Tenth Missouri, which have been ordered to report to you--in all about 400 men--you will proceed to Rienzi, on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad (via Ripley), so as to arrive there as soon after daylight to-morrow as possible. You will get what information is possible off the telegraph line and then destroy it. Destroy any Confederate stores which may be there, then march north, destroying all bridges and trestle-work you may find along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad as far as the Tuscumbia River, including the railroad bridge over that stream near Danville; then, in case the river is fordable, leave the bridge and hold the ford on the road leading from Kossuth to Corinth. Gain all the information in regard to a force at Corinth, and communicate with me at some point near Kossuth or between that point and Ruckersville, on the road passing by Meeks' Mills.

By order of Brigadier General B. H. Grierson:

S. L. WOODWARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*See Part I, p. 220.

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